A drug suspect arrested last year claims the officers who searched his home stole several thousand dollars from him, and the WDSU I-Team has obtained a key piece of evidence attorneys are using to support that allegation.

Stefen Daigle appeared in Criminal Court on Friday on a felony narcotics charge.

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Daigle was arrested in January 2011 at his Mid-City art studio. He was charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

The case worked its way to an Orleans Parish criminal courtroom on Friday, where, after attorneys retreated to a closed-door session, the prosecutor assigned to the case told the court that his office had decided not to pursue the charge against Daigle.

The accused walked out a free man.

The key piece of potential evidence presented by defense attorneys on Friday: a video composite, with images from a handful of surveillance cameras trained on Daigle's home and nearby streets.

A New Orleans police detective wrote and signed the arrest report in the case. The document shows that arresting officers took Daigle from his studio to central lockup for booking, and that drug evidence found at his business was secured in the NOPD property room.

But Daigle's attorneys told the I-Team something more happened that day, one year ago.

"Officers in the joint governmental task force targeted our client as a means to enrich themselves rather than fighting crime," John Bair said.

Watch: Update to original I-Team report

The task force involved is the West Bank Major Crimes Task Force. Though its name suggests the group operates on one side of the Mississippi River, the task force has a wide jurisdiction. In addition to detectives from New Orleans, it includes officers from the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office, Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, Plaquemines Parish Sheriff's Office and Westwego and Gretna police departments.

Bair's accusation centers not on what transpired at the Mid-City art studio, but what happened at his client's French Quarter home. Though not mentioned in the arrest report, Bair said the task force officers brought Daigle to that location, in the 900 block of St. Peter Street.

The arrival and departure of the officers, with Daigle, is clearly seen in private surveillance video obtained and reviewed by the I-Team. The recording shows several officers leaving their unmarked unit and leading Daigle to his residence.

The group disappears from view when it enters the building. A short time later, all of the men exit through the same door -- but this time, one of them is carrying what appears to be a paper sack, about the size of a large fast-food carry-out bag.

Daigle is placed in the police unit, and the officer carrying the sack gets behind the wheel and drives off.

"As you can see in the video tape, they went in with nothing in their hands and came out carrying a bag," Bair said. "We believe they emptied a safe there and took money."

Attorneys told WDSU the safe contained $3,500 in cash.

"These cops decided to get a little greedy and walk out with a bag," said Roger Kitchens, who also represents Daigle.

There is no proof in the images that the bag contains stacks of bills, as claimed by Daigle's lawyers. However, police records reviewed by the I-Team make no reference to the removal of a bag or any other property during the visit to the French Quarter home.

In fact, while a "consent to search" form obtained by the I-Team initially lists the St. Peter Street residence, that information is scratched out and a different address -- the business studio belonging to Daigle -- is recorded as the property searched by the task force officers.

In light of the evidence shown to them on Friday at court, prosecutors dismissed the charges against Daigle, noting they retain the right to re-file at a later date.

District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro said his office will review the footage and take any appropriate action. Kitchens said that could include involvement by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

"I think he's referring it to Jim Letten as we speak," Kitchens said. "The public trust is based on officers doing the right thing, and if these officers conduct themselves in the way they did, they should be prosecuted to the fullest."

NOPD Superintendent Ronal Serpas told WDSU on Friday afternoon that he had just become aware of the matter and that the department's Public Integrity Bureau would review the evidence and the actions of any NOPD officers involved.

Late Friday, the NOPD released the following statement from Public Integrity Bureau Chief Arlinda Westbrook: The Public Integrity Bureau has launched an investigation into this matter, and cannot comment at this time.

WDSU is contacting other departments whose officers participated in the arrest and will follow-up this report with new information as it is made available. No officers have been charged or otherwise disciplined.